America is Not for Black People
is the title of this post Consider this: Part of the reason we're seeing so many black men killed is that police officers are now best understood less as members of communities, dedicated to keeping peace within them, than as domestic soldiers. The drug war has long functioned as a full-employment act for arms dealers looking to sell every town and village in the country on the need for military-g
by rss@dailykos.com ... / 37min

I strongly suggest you read this blog post by my professional colleague Mike Rose of UCLA written in tribute to his co-author and colleague Mike Katz, who just passed away.
Some of you may remember Public Education Under Siege, my review of the book of that title produced by the two Mikes, which I posted last December.  There is a new paperback edition of that book out.
From Mike Rose's blog let me offer this:  
My friend Michael Katz died this weekend. Michael wrote brilliantly about the history of cities, of poverty, and of education. His books are meticulously researched and argued; they sharpen, and often change, the way you think. Among my favorites are: The Irony of Early School Reform,The Shadow of the Poorhouse, The Undeserving Poor, The Price of Citizenship, One Nation Divisible (with Mark Stern), and there are others, all wonderful.
            He helped me immeasurably over the last twenty years with my work. Immeasurably. And a few years back, we got to collaborate, editing a series of essays on school reform. As I’m sure his many students would verify, Michael’s feedback was something. He was tough-minded and didn’t hold back, though he provided the hard news in a way that made your writing better. And when you got praise—and he was generous with praise—well, you could take it to the bank, for Michael was not a bullshitter. I will always remember and celebrate his intellectual integrity. I am going to miss him very much.
Mike Rose then links to an earlier post of his about one of those books.
I think if you read you will be drawn enough to want to read more of the work of Michael Katz.
peace.